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Jelly Bean’s daughter Bertie is an adorable little “ham sandwich”. Orion – called “Onion Ring” – is a large but guardian-like companion. Another whale, Zephyr has “endless energy” and wiggles like a wiggly creature. Lillooet is the “loving presence” with a kind nature.

Thirty enclosed marine mammals in a Canada-based entertainment facility have been entangled in a disagreement between a shuttered park, public officials and advocacy groups.

But those working directly with the whales say the impassioned discussion over their future often fails to consider the complexities of the whales who, after living their entire lives in captivity, have been thoroughly researched by the humans who work with them regularly.

After the national authorities disallowed the export of the belugas to China, the struggling facility near the famous falls where they are held threatened to put them down unless the federal government pays for the upkeep of their care. Canada’s marine resources official has rejected that demand, placing the thirty whales in an dangerously unstable situation.

Highly Cognitive Sea Creatures

Researchers say that belugas’ neuroanatomy, along with their sound replication, intellectual tasks and group interactions indicate they are highly cognitive mammals – something a former trainer discovered directly.

She spent three years as a marine mammal specialist, a role that involved gaining confidence of the aquatic animals.

“Establishing those bonds over time takes a lot of dedication and a lot of affection. At the outset, they’re very cautious of you,” she said. “Over time, you gain shared confidence. And they start being more trusting with you. It’s just so wonderful and fulfilling.”

Burgess knew the whales were highly intelligent, but she says she was nevertheless surprised by the nuances and quirks in their characters. She cultivated a particular love for a pair of whales with contrasting temperaments.

“One whale selected me. The other demanded work,” she said. “They changed the way I understand relationships.”

Public Concerns and Facility Decline

Burgess’s relationship with the whales progressed against a backdrop of growing public opposition to their captivity.

During her tenure at the attraction, seven belugas and the park’s one killer whale, Kiska, succumbed. In all, 19 belugas have perished at the park since recent years, a number which the facility ascribes to natural mortality, but which activists say reflects the poor conditions in which they were kept.

The park did not open to the guests over the recent season, but the former trainer says she witnessed firsthand results of the closure. “Concrete is deteriorating from the tanks because they’re degrading and not being fixed. The whales are curious and so they grab fragments and swim around with pieces in their mouth. It’s upsetting to see.”

The facility did not reply to a inquiry, but previously asserted: “The whales … receive far better health care and 24/7 supervision than any human in the UK, or anywhere else.”

Fate in Limbo and Potential Resolutions

The former employee was dismissed from the facility in early March following the death of a beluga, an sick beluga the employees had to humanely kill. She said the facility suspected information of the death were shared to the news outlets and she was released shortly thereafter.

The lack of clarity over the whales’ future has left Burgess and other caretakers in despair. She says the park’s warning to euthanize its whales is a negotiation tactic and is a “extremely difficult” task, adding any efforts to euthanize even a individual beluga would require “considerable manpower”, vehicles and heavy equipment.

“It cannot happen in hell the staff would ever do it,” she said.

She backs calls for the whales to be transferred right away from the facility, with its failing enclosures and shrinking team.

In the autumn, the nation’s fisheries minister turned down a request to export the whales to China.

“To approve the request would have meant a perpetual existence in captivity and a return to display for amusement,” the minister commented. “As society, we know that whales are meant for the sea, not in enclosures for our entertainment. I could not in good conscience permit an export that would prolong the situation these belugas have experienced.”

But the former trainer said the official’s remarks indicate a wider misunderstanding of the circumstances of existence for belugas living their whole lives in enclosures.

“The people needs to grasp these are whales that have existed solely in captivity and they will need ongoing assistance for the foreseeable future,” she said. “People just don’t realize that it’s not as simple as saying ‘shut it down’.”

Alternative Habitat and Continuing Discussion

As officials work to find a resolution, proposals have emerged, some of which have little basis in reality. An idea called for the belugas to be let go into the open waters of the Arctic – where whales are a key source of sustenance for Indigenous peoples.

A planned sanctuary in the province of Nova Scotia, which recently received government approval, has been most controversial. The prospective location, which includes a large area of penned in ocean, remains undeveloped. Supporters remain optimistic that it could ultimately represent a sustainable answer for eight of the whales.

But, the former trainer says, among staff she’s discussed with, there is “no trust there” about what she said is “only an untested concept” in the whales’ future.

Others say the possibility of a sanctuary reflects a worldwide trend away from zoos and aquariums and could represent a workable solution in the coming months.

Charles Vinick, leader of the initiative, said the location will replicate the mental engagement and diet the whales get from caretakers, albeit in a much larger environment. He said after the medical condition of whales is completely examined, which could take months|an extended period|